Thomas, one of the nation's top defensive ends, showed his elite status at the Dallas Nike Football Training Camp by not only winning the defensive lineman MVP award but also earning an invitation to The Opening this summer.

“That’s awesome. Last year I came, and I saw the ones who got the invite,” Thomas said of The Opening. “That’s been a goal of mine for a while. It’s something I wanted to achieve.

“It’s a blessing. It’s a lot of fun being out with these guys participating. It’s a great feeling to do good, work hard and learn from all these great coaches.”

At 6-foot-3 and a chiseled 260 pounds, Thomas looks like the prototype defensive end. He fully showcased his skills during one-on-one lineman drills, outplaying the competition in businesslike manner. It was something he did all year, as he finished his junior season with 79 tackles, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Of his 79 tackles, 53 were solo, and 14 went for a loss.

Thomas didn’t name a favorite, but he said schools such as Texas, Alabama, Ohio State, UCLA, Stanford and Oklahoma are some of the higher-profile programs that could potentially be on his list. His process, he reiterated, is wide open, but he is looking for the total package.

Thomas added that a decision won’t be made until after he takes all of his official visits -- and the first official won’t be made until after the upcoming season.

“I want to be somewhere where I’m comfortable and I’m comfortable with the coaching staff,” Thomas said. “I want to be somewhere where I can get a feel for the campus with education. Academically and as a person, I want to grow and make sure I succeed.”